Purdue’s Polytechnic college, known before 2015 as the College of Technology, incorporates disciplines that look at times like engineering, computer science and management — which, according to Gary Bertoline, makes it difficult to understand our unique role. In this episode of Techies Today, the Purdue Polytechnic Podcast, Bertoline, distinguished professor and former dean, recalls how he and the college’s leaders came up with a future-forward plan to redefine and differentiate the college. Along the way, the formerly skeptical Purdue President Mitch Daniels became one of the college’s biggest supporters.
The resulting transformation to Purdue Polytechnic and addition of 20+ new majors, many in forward-thinking fields, has proven to be an enormous success. By 2018, the college had fully reversed an earlier eight-year decline in enrollment … and by 2024, the college had achieved eight consecutive years of record-high enrollment.
This is the first of a two-part interview with Bertoline. In part 2, we’ll discuss how and why the college began a new, strategic focus on research.
Episode 019 hotlinks
- Video: Gary Bertoline, Maximizing Our College's Value (YouTube)
- Video: President Daniels discussing our transformation in October 2014 (YouTube)
- Transformed learning environment leads to record Polytechnic enrollment (2017)
- Polytechnic enrollment reaches another new record (2018)
- Purdue Polytechnic surpasses enrollment record eighth consecutive year (2024)
- Purdue Moves – STEM Leadership
- Bertoline to lead Purdue Online (2021)
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